Question

What type of ecological pyramid would be obtained by the following data?

• A. Upright pyramid of numbers
• B. Pyramid of energy
• C. An inverted pyramid of biomass
• D. Upright pyramid of biomass

Answer 1

The correct option is C

An inverted pyramid of biomass

The biomass is the mass of living biological organisms in a given area or ecosystem at a given time which can be measured in grams. An inverted pyramid of biomass can be obtained from the given data. Here the consumers have the least biomass and the secondary consumers have the highest biomass.

Marine biomass pyramids tend to be inverted due to the dynamics of the producers and consumers. Many marine ecosystems rely on phytoplankton as their primary producer. Phytoplanktons are very small, even microscopic. These tiny organisms reproduce and die very quickly hence their biomass is less compared to the primary and the secondary consumers.